Calling All Tourism and Hospitality Entrepreneurs, Pitch for up to USD 500,000 of Investment at the First Ever ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition

Up to fifteen start-ups from across the tourism and hospitality sector will be given the opportunity to pitch for up to half a million dollar of funding, thanks to a brand-new competition that will take place at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME - Arabian Travel Market, which will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9-12 May 2022, said, “The ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition offers an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs from across the industry to pitch their business plans in front of our expert judges, not to mention a global audience of industry professionals and investors."

“In addition to pitching for up to USD 500,000 of investment at ATM 2022, the winning start-up will be given the chance to compete for a further USD 500,000 of funding on Tim Draper’s hugely popular television show, Meet the Drapers.”

The inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition, which will take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage on Tuesday 10 May 2022, will see 15 start-ups go head-to-head. Spanning the segments of travel and transportation, hospitality tech, and experiences and attractions, each pitch will last for five minutes and will be followed by a five-minute Q&A session with ATM’s panel of industry judges.

The overall winner will receive a minimum of USD30,000 up to a maximum of USD 500,000 investment, a DASC Certificate and the chance to appear on Tim Draper’s TV show, Meet the Drapers, where they compete for another USD 500,000 while gaining access to a crowdfunding network of 12 million viewers. A further two runners up will receive the DASC Certificate only.

“The aim of the ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition is to help intensify the race to a sustainable future for travel and tourism,” said Curtis.

“In conjunction with AladdinB2B and Draper Associates, we will showcase technologies and innovations from the brightest minds in travel, transportation, hospitality, experiences and attractions.”

In addition to a place in the competition, each finalist will have the opportunity to invest in a pod located in ATM 2022’s start-up area; access to a booking and matchmaking platform powered by AladdinB2B and Draper VC, which can be used to arrange meetings with prospective investors; and global exposure through ATM Travel Tech’s various marketing platforms.

The competition’s panel of expert judges will also be on hand share their extensive start-up experience, offering tips on the most effective fundraising methods, the biggest challenges faced by new ventures, and the best channels to reach investors.

“Any start-ups that are interested in taking part can visit the ATM Travel Tech page to find out more about this exciting competition,” Curtis added.

Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) - formerly the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) - ATM show highlights in 2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on the key source markets of Saudi Arabia and India.

Previously called Travel Forward, the revamped and rebranded ATM Travel Tech event will take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage, hosting seminars, debates and presentations as well as the inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition.

The dedicated ARIVALDubai@ATM forum, meanwhile, will cover current and future trends for tour operators and attractions, focusing on growing business through marketing, technology, distribution, thought leadership and executive-level connections.

ATM will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a festival of events dedicated to enabling travel professionals from all over the world to collaborate and shape the recovery of the Middle East travel industry through exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events.

The UAE remains one of the most COVID-secure countries on the planet, with consistently low case rates and robust measures to ensure tourists' safety at every stage of their visit. Like its neighbouring emirates, Dubai is committed to maintaining the highest hygiene and safety standards. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has endorsed its pandemic management, awarding the city a 'Safe Travels' stamp.

In line with the UAE government’s forward-thinking transition to a four-and-a-half-day, Monday-to-Friday workweek, this year’s edition of ATM will commence on Monday 9 May.

For more news about ATM, please visit to www.wtm.com.